People latch onto words and then casually throw them around like they know what it means. The most common — and obvious — is the line that “organic farmers don’t use pesticides.” Well, Karen, actually…
Most often this happens with the latest, trendiest fads. Whether most people know it, those fads are usually picked up by marketing companies, who develop entire campaigns around them. That’s how I end up with emails from random companies eager to share their commitment to whatever trend.
The marketer again told me all the right stuff. Regenerative agriculture means farmers are economically viable and able to invest in soil health, clean water, and strong ecosystems. That reaching a goal like that means farms will look different depending on climates, soils, and other factors. And that the company would consult with crop specialists with expertise in the local areas where their wheat is grown.
Those are all fantastic things! It’s what I’ve said as an agriculture writer over the last decade! But it completely misses the point: Farmers are already doing this stuff without a fancy label or neat certification. Farmers want to use the best practices that will sustain their farm over the long term, both environmentally and economically. It’s just good business.
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But this is what people want to hear: We’re sourcing all of our wheat from farmers that use regenerative practices! Why? Because of the almighty virtue signaling!
